Field
Exemplary embodiments relate to a frame assembly for a donor film and a method of manufacturing an organic light emitting display apparatus using the same, and, more particularly, to a frame assembly for a donor film, the frame assembly being configured to selectively stretch the donor film, and a method of manufacturing an organic light emitting display apparatus using the same.
Discussion
Conventional organic light emitting displays, which are one type of flat panel displays, typically include an anode electrode, a cathode electrode, and an intermediate layer including at least one organic emissive layer disposed between the anode electrode and the cathode electrode. It is noted that these organic light emitting displays usually exhibit wider viewing angles, better contrast ratios, and faster response time/speed than other conventional flat panel displays, such as light emitting diode displays. To this end, traditional organic light emitting displays may further include at least one organic film layer as a hole injection layer, a hole transport layer, an electron transport layer, and an electron injection layer, depending on whether the at least one emissive layer is formed of (or including) a polymer organic material or a low-molecular-weight material (LMWM).
To provide colors, conventional organic light emitting displays typically utilize a patterned organic film layer. As a patterning method, in the case of a LMWM organic light emitting display, use of a shadow mask may occur. In the case of a polymer organic material organic light emitting display, patterning may be achieved via, for example, inkjet printing, laser induced thermal imaging (LITI), and/or the like. The LITI method may be utilized to form minute patterns in an organic film layer, may be used for large surface area screens, and may provide for high resolution displays.
When forming an organic film layer using the LITI method, a light source, an organic light emitting display substrate (which is an acceptor substrate), and a donor film are typically utilized. The donor film is usually formed of a base film, a light-to-heat conversion (LTHC) layer, and a transfer layer. Light emitted from the light source is absorbed by the LTHC layer on the donor film and converted into thermal energy. In this manner, the converted thermal energy causes, at least in part, changes in adhesion forces among the LTHC layer, the transfer layer, and the acceptor substrate. The changes in adhesion forces may be leveraged to pattern the corresponding organic light emitting layer on the acceptor substrate.
Typically, a base film, on which an LTHC layer is formed, is fastened (or otherwise coupled) to a frame and is stretched. A thermal drying process and a process of forming a transfer layer formed of an organic material are performed. A donor film, on which the transfer layer is formed, is laminated on an acceptor substrate. To this end, the transfer layer on the donor film is transferred to the acceptor substrate via the LITI method. In association with the thermal drying process and the process of forming the transfer layer, heat is applied to the donor film in such a way that the donor film may droop or become wrinkled. As such, the wrinkled donor film may not be evenly laminated on the acceptor substrate, which may cause, at least in part, defects in an organic thin film transferred to the acceptor substrate.
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the inventive concept, and, therefore, it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.